


a (mostly) happy ending

by romantasha



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, I had to add in some angst, Lincoln is still dead sorry, Mostly Gen, POV Skye | Daisy Johnson, how I wish AoS would end, kind of one sided skyeward, kind of turned bittersweet instead, mostly just feels, there isn't much plot, was supposed to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-12 20:12:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10498620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romantasha/pseuds/romantasha
Summary: “I've known you for four years now. You started as a hacker we pulled out of a van, but look at you now. You're an actual superhero. You went from being a girl who said ‘bang’ every time she pulled the trigger to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s finest agents. I cannot possibly say how proud I am of you. But I can say that you are the best — the only — person I can think of for this position.”Aka the full circle ending we'll never get.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had this idea in my mind for a while now, but I was pretty convinced that AoS wouldn’t be ending this season. But as time goes on it looks more and more likely, so I revisited my wonderfully happy epilogue. Look at me, writing joy! Wow, so different from my usual pain-and-death-and-angst stories.
> 
> But this is kind of what an ideal ending would be like, I think. I kept it as realistic as possible (well, as realistic you can get with a happy AoS ending), so I did write some things that aren’t really my general ships or favourite characters. But I wanted to write something that really would close the story in a full circle.
> 
> I had to make some assumptions based off of how the rest of the season might go, but honestly I don’t think it’ll quite happen this way. Like I don’t think they’ll bring Ward back, but for my full circle ending, that’s how I wrote it. Overall, I tried to keep it as vague as possible.
> 
> So have fun!

The wedding is beautiful.

 

Daisy knew it was bound to happen — Fitz and Simmons were made for each other. She’s just a little shocked on how it does, and she’s honestly not entirely sure on the details. All she knows is that now, only a week after the escape from the Framework and the defeat of AIDA, she’s sitting in the middle of the grandest wedding she’s ever been to.

 

Granted, Daisy hasn’t been to that many weddings.

 

Despite that fact, the wedding is extremely elegant. It’s small, but Coulson spared no expense while setting up such an extensive wedding in such a short amount of time. Bobbi and Hunter managed to sneak their way into the guest list. May even is wearing a _dress_. And FitzSimmons — as they’ve decided to join their last names since they’re both so used to it already — are smiling at each other so brightly it makes her heart hurt.

 

It’s not that Daisy isn’t happy for them. She truly is. She’s _overjoyed_. But looking around and seeing FitzSimmons kissing as flower petals stream around them, and Coulson pressing his lips to the side of May’s head as she lets a smile grace her features, and the way Bobbi not-so-subtly has her hand creeping up Hunter’s thigh, and the way Mack holds Elena close...she misses him.

 

She had found Lincoln in the Framework, but she was too late. Hydra had found him, and all she had left were his _Wanted_ signs that flew around the city. Once again, she never got her chance to say goodbye, and it _hurt_. Daisy’s heart was crushed all over again, and she isn’t sure it’ll ever fully repair.

 

“You okay, Tremors?” Mack asks softly from beside her. Elena tucks her head up to look at her as well, and that’s when Daisy realizes her cheek is wet. She lifts her hand to wipe her eyes quickly.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she responds with a tight smile. “I’ve gotta step outside for a moment, okay? Let FitzSimmons know that I’ll be back in a minute.”

 

The pair looks at her worryingly as she rushes away from the crowd. But even as she is out of sight, she keeps her eyes dry.

 

“I know you’re there Ward,” she calls out.

 

So, that’s a thing.

 

They managed to bring back both Tripp and Ward from the Framework. Tripp ended up being Fitz’ best man, and she’s so excited that he’s back. That the weight of his death is lifted off of her chest. But, they also brought back Ward. She wasn’t that enthused about it, even though it was her idea.

 

But it made Lincoln’s loss _so much worse_. If only she had gotten to him on time, she’d have him right beside her at the moment. He’d be here to dancing with her at the wedding, giving her light kisses as they laughed against each other’s lips.

 

Of course, no one they brought back was exactly the same. They’re more like their Framework selves than the person they were before their deaths, but it’s in there. Deep in there, perhaps, but there. It was the only reason Daisy brought Ward back. The guy in the Framework reminded her so much of how he was during the old Bus days — caring, funny, and genuinely _good_. Yet, Ward’s backstory was still true and she found out about the details that led him to Garrett and Hydra. Yet, this Ward ended up going to S.H.I.E.L.D. She couldn’t find it within her not to at least give him a chance.

 

She doesn’t regret her decision at all, but she wishes that she had considered the repercussions more. It took a lot of effort just to convince Coulson not to kill him, and took days more to convince him to let Ward live his own life.

 

He still had the old Ward in him, if Daisy looks hard enough. He’s less psychotic, less blood-thirsty, but he’s got some of that underlying rage and bitterness. She doesn’t think she can blame him.

 

“Ward, seriously, just come out and talk to me. I won’t tell Coulson you broke his ‘stay away’ rule,” she says impatiently.

 

There’s a shuffle in front of her and Ward pops out from behind the wall. “I was hoping to give you some space. You look a little…” He doesn’t finish, but she knows he’s referring to how puffy her eyes are.

 

“I don’t think you hiding behind a building where you can still hear my every move is ‘giving me space,’” she deadpans.

 

Ward shift uncomfortably. “I was trying to leave.”

 

Daisy rolls her eyes in amusement. “I must say, you’re not as great as an agent as I thought.” She bites her lower lip. “So, you’re here for FitzSimmons, hm?”

 

“Uh,” Ward’s hand digs a little in his jacket pocket before pulling out a small and slightly crumpled envelope. It’s not completely flat, and there’s a bit of a dip in a section. “Sort of. I was hoping you’d give this to them,” he says, handing her the package.

 

She raises an eyebrow at him. “A wedding gift?” He nods. “It’s not some bomb or something, is it?” She glares suspiciously at the present, wondering if making it explosive was a possibility.

 

What? She says she doesn’t regret bringing Ward back. That doesn’t mean she trusts him.

 

Daisy thinks his face falls, but it’s back to his normal poker face so quickly that she’s sure she imagined it. He points at the flap of the envelope. “I left it open so you can see what it is. I figured you’d have questions,” he shrugs. Still suspicious, she opens it and pulls out the paper from within, then dumps the object into her hand — a key. Her eyes widen, and Ward tilts his head and smiles awkwardly. Shoving his hands into his jeans’ pockets, he says, “If you could not let them know it’s from me, that’d be great. It’d really be a shame if they didn’t put that house to good use. It’s kind of expensive, if you didn’t notice. And that monkey really needs a home, so Fitz can’t give it up.”

 

“Ward!” she yells out, slapping his arm. “What the hell!” She shoves the key and the picture of a quite adorable monkey back into his hands. “Where did you get the money for this?” She wants to punch the idiot so bad. The house ( _mansion_ , more like) must be millions of dollars, and she can’t imagine a money being cheap either.

 

“I have a lot of money from my safe houses,” he says simply, as if it’s not a big deal. But it is. Oh, _it is_. Daisy huffs out and turns to storm off. “Hey!” Ward jumps forward to grab her arm, but immediately lets go. “Sorry,” he starts, but when he sees no anger in her eyes, just frustration, he continues. “It’d mean a lot if they got this.”

 

“You can give it to them yourself,” she tells him firmly. “Jemma’s okay with you now, you know. She worked with you in the Framework. Of course she’s still hurt, but she knows you’re not like _him_.”

 

“That’s the thing, Skye—”

 

“—Daisy,” she corrects quickly, but he ignores her.

 

“I _am_ that old Ward. Just because I have some different memories mixed in doesn’t change anything. I don’t know why you ever gave me another chance. I’m not that guy. I’m Ward. That guy you shot. That guy who dropped FitzSimmons in the ocean.”

 

Daisy’s eyes soften slightly. “Who you were in the Framework was who you could’ve become here if you had been given a chance,” she says sadly. He doesn’t respond, but he does gently take her hand and give her back his wedding gift.

 

“ _Please_ ,” he whispers. She takes a moment but nods, and he steps away. “It’s hard,” he starts, “having memories of the Framework. One moment I’ll remember how we — well, virtual reality us — were together, happy, and then the next I’ll remember how you’re supposed to hate me. The terrible things I’ve done.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Daisy replies.

 

Ward shakes his head. “Are you happy?” he asks, “Here, in reality?” He says it as if he knows she never could’ve been happy with him in the Framework, which she supposes isn’t far from the truth.

 

She hesitates. “I was,” she smiles sadly, “And then he died.” The tears glisten her eyes again and she blinks them down as quickly as she can.

 

“I hope you find happiness again,” he declares after a minute.

 

To that, she responds, “You too.” There’s a curt nod from him, and a smile lightens up both their faces, and he sinks back into the shadows.

 

“Do you think we’ll see him again?”

 

Daisy almost jumps three feet in the air at the sound of a new voice. But as Coulson brings himself into view, she relaxes a bit. “I’m not sure. I don’t think so,” she tells her boss honestly. She holds the envelope up. “He got FitzSimmons a house. And a monkey.” Her brow scrunches.

 

Coulson, however, grins. “I’ve got to say, Daisy, you sure made a good decision in bringing him back,” he states. “You did something that I was never able to do — look past our personal vendetta against him.”

 

“Never thought I’d see the day you’d agree with my choice,” she says to him.

 

The two begin to walk back to the wedding reception when Coulson speaks again. “So, I was thinking of stepping down as Director,” he discloses. “Think I might be getting a little old for the job.”

 

Daisy laughs. “I think you’ve said that a few times over the last couple of years. Yet you’re still here, bossing me around.”

 

He slows down their walking speed and smiles. “This time I think I have the perfect candidate.”

 

She stops, suddenly realizing the guy is serious. “Oh. Who?”

 

“Well, we’ve always said an Inhuman should be the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. And there’s one I know who does my job better than I do.”

 

There’s a moment of thought before Daisy says, “Mace isn’t really an Inhuman.”

 

“I’m not talking about Mace,” Coulson sighs. “The person I’m talking about is right here in front of me.”

 

Suddenly, it clicks. Coulson was talking about her. He wants _her_ to be the next Director.

 

“Coulson…”

 

He stops her before she can really protest. “I’ve thought about this a lot. For a while. I guess your leadership during the Framework issue finalized my decision.” He takes a deep breath. “I've known you for four years now. You started as a hacker we pulled out of a van, but look at you now. You're an actual superhero. You went from being a girl who said ‘bang’ every time she pulled the trigger to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s finest agents. I cannot possibly say how proud I am of you. But I can say that you are the best — the only — person I can think of for this position.”

 

The fact that someone put so much faith in her made Daisy’s heart swell. She doesn't know how to respond, so instead she wraps the man in an embrace. “Thank you,” she whispers, emotion thick in her voice.

 

He pulls away from her slowly and smiles down at her. “So, _Director_ Johnson, what are you going to do first?”

 

Daisy beams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I think my first action as Direct will be to renounce the S.H.I.E.L.D. acronym — make it just Shield. It's just _such_ a mouthful to say.”

 

“Please don't make me regret this.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did I say happy? I mean _mostly_ happy. With a large side of angst. Oops.
> 
> Either way, I hope you all liked this. If you did, I would love it if you took a moment to leave your thoughts.
> 
> Until next time!


End file.
